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“At thriveosity, we are motivated to make the lives of those touched by cancer more manageable. We understand what constitutes meaningful and sustained support, as well as how to meet the enduring needs of thrivers and their loved ones. We want to share that knowledge with you when you may not know what to do.”

My patients call me Dr. Ritu. I am a Clinical Psychologist with years of experience working with patients and families impacted by a cancer diagnosis. I trained at Loyola University’s Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, where my passion for helping people with cancer was fortified. Prior to earning my Doctoral degree in clinical psychology, I completed a Masters degree in Community Counseling from Loyola University.

As a cancer psychologist, I have been intimately involved in patient care, supporting families and working collaboratively with medical teams. I have provided bedside care, as well as both individual and family-driven support, in my private practice. Though I have to admit that my work is challenging, I can’t imagine doing anything else that would be as rewarding and fulfilling. I have always wanted a higher quality of life for my patients - one of my main goals is to close the gap that exists in cancer care. Current best practices do not include attending to the wellness of the whole patient. Patients report that their medical teams are adept at meeting their medical needs, however patients report great variability in the quality of management of the rest of their needs. I founded thriveosity as one way to begin closing that gap. Receiving the gift of thriveosity can help support thrivers support in areas where they may not have sufficient support. I designed thriveosity as an extension of my own practice philosophy.

My work, coupled with my passion for providing exceptional comprehensive care, has given me a unique perspective which informs my philosophy and the foundation for thriveosity.

Here are a few reasons why I believe there is a need for thriveosity.

“Fun” often lacks the “Functional”: Patients need to discover the tools that move them to survivors and then thrivers.

As the thinking behind thriveosity was taking shape, I pondered how best to meet the needs of the cancer community. The products had to be meaningful and functional. Thriveosity had to be so much more than a gift box, it had to fill the gap in cancer care. But it was also important to me that the products be fun as well - bright colors, cool packages, and interesting brand stories are another standard against which all of our products are chosen.

Geographical Limitations: Not all patients have access to cutting-edge cancer care

At Loyola, the philosophy was treatment and access for all regardless of their circumstances. This message was not lost on me. My clinical focus has been and remains on the greater good for all. I know that my patients are among the most fortunate to have access to good health care, services and therapy. For every one patient with a cancer diagnosis referred to therapy, there are hundreds of thousands that are not. It was important to me that thriveosity have a national reach so that patients living in remote areas of the US could have access to great support.

How Can I Help?: Loved ones are often at a loss for how to help or what to say

It has been my experience that friends and family want to support their loved one, but are often unsure how to help. And when a person is newly diagnosed, they too are at a loss of for what their needs might be. Their needs change as they progress through treatments. I designed thriveosity, including our 5 categories of products, to meet typical needs for most cancer patients and to eliminate the guesswork many friends and family members face when providing support.

Cancer is Chronic: More patients are thriving after a cancer diagnosis

I have witnessed tremendous advancements in cancer survivorship. In 2016, approximately 1.7 million people will be diagnosed with cancer, and over 1 million of those will enter survivorship. Life after a cancer diagnosis requires adaptation and management of a chronic condition. Over the course of my career, I have often had to shift from helping patients survive to helping them achieve thrivership! The majority of my clinical time is spent helping patients adjust to the cancer diagnosis and accompany them through survivorship into thrivership. Thrivership requires active self care and attention to the whole person.